Silvery Gaze of the Moon
by Seyyan
Summary: A young author struggles to write another tory to support herself. She becomes inspired by a set of Chinese Zodiac figurines, and begins to weave a tale of mystery and romance. Read on to find out more.


**Secrets in the Moonlight**

Prologue

The girl walked back and forth in the tiny room where she lived. Eyes closed and a finger on her chin, she seemed to be searching her mind for something. Every few minutes or so, she would stand absolutely still, put her hands behind her back, and mutter a thoughtful "hmm". Then she would sigh and begin to pace again.

The girl was an aspiring writer. She had begun writing at an early age, and at the age of seventeen, she had already finished a handful of novels, not to mention about a hundred or so short stories and essays. When she was young, her readers were her friends and playmates, who constantly praised her work.

Perhaps, they overdid it, though, for it seemed as though the girl had developed a huge ego, and placed too much trust on her work. Sad to say, her works weren't read very much and were placed at the back of bookstore shelves. Her works had only brought a small amount of money, just enough to support herself, for she was an orphan. As a matter of fact, if not for her pet cat, she wouldn't have a family.

After spending an hour trying to think of something to write, the young authoress sat down. Her feet and her head were aching. And her stomach was rumbling, too. _I can't believe this! If I don't have an idea soon, we'll die of hunger. I've trying for two weeks, now. Why can't I think of something?_

The girl's cat quietly entered the room and walked towards its master's feet. The girl was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice her cat enter until it jumped in her lap. It purred at her.

"What is it, neko-chan? Are you hungry too?" The girl asked her cat.

"Meow," purred the cat, its eyes focused on the face of its master.

"Poor neko-chan. I'm sorry; we don't have any food left. I think we still have some milk, though." The girl stood up and placed her cat on the floor. "Wait here, neko-chan. I'll fix us something." And with that, the girl walked to her stove to boil water for her tea and her cat's milk.

Half an hour later, the girl and her cat sat on the floor, drinking milk and tea. The girl sighed as she stroked her pet's fur. "Neko-chan, what will I write? If I don't write something soon, we'll go hungry."

The cat stopped lapping at its milk to face its master. It mewed at her, as if to say something. Suddenly, it leaped up to her dresser and began to play with one of the animal figurines. It was one of the zodiac figurines.

"Neko-chan? Don't play with that…yes. An idea. Thank you, neko-chan!" The girl's face lit up with excitement, as ideas for a new story flowed in her mind.

"Yes," she said aloud to herself, as she sat down to her writing materials, "I will write about the Zodiac animals."

Her pen moved swiftly across the paper as words entered her busy mind. She looked at her hand in amazement, as it seemed to know exactly what to write. An hour later, she had already written a few pages. As she read her story, she seemed pleased by it. _Yes, _she thought as she smiled to herself, _this is a good story._

Chapter 1

Tohru!

"Tohru, where's my breakfast?"

"Tohru, my tea has cooled off already!"

"Tohru, fix my dress!"

"Tohru, chop some more firewood!"

"Tohru, my flowers are not fresh!"

"Tohru, why are my boots still muddy?"

"Tohru, my breakfast!"

"Tohru—"

"Tohru—"

"TOHRU!"

Tohru sighed. Her relatives can be pretty demanding at times, especially in the mornings. Ever since her parents died four years ago, Tohru has lived with her grandfather, who lives with his daughter and her family. Tohru's grandfather was a wealthy businessman, who was away most of the time on voyages to other countries. His daughter was a social butterfly who spends her fortune and her days entertaining friends. Her children, a boy and a girl, were spoiled brats who spend their days making life miserable for Tohru.

This morning, everyone seemed determined to torture Tohru. Putting on her best smile, Tohru grabbed another basket of firewood and started to walk as fast as she could to the house. "I'm coming! I'll bring what you need."

She ran to the kitchen to grab the breakfast tray for her and another pot of tea for her cousin. She quickly ascended the stairs and knocked at her aunt's bedroom door.

"Aunt, may I come in? I've brought you your breakfast," Tohru said, as she politely knocked at the door.

"Very well, come in," said her aunt's muffled voice.

Tohru entered her aunt's room. The huge room was done up in reds, with red curtains and bedcovers. Tohru quickly placed the tray on the table and fixed the flower vase, opened the curtains, and picked up the laundry. Her aunt was sitting up in bed, idly watching Tohru tidy up the room in a matter of minutes.

"Tohru, don't forget to wash the carpets today. They are terribly dusty."

"Yes, Aunt."

"You may leave now."

Tohru bowed respectfully to her aunt and walked out of the room to the next door.

"Cousin Jin, may I come in?"

The room's occupant didn't answer, so Tohru decided to enter anyway. When she opened the door, she found her cousin sitting in front of an open window, playing with his pet dog.

"Finally! What took you so long, stupid Tohru? I was so thirsty! You know very well that tea doesn't taste good when it's not warm!" Jin yelled at her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for the tea to cool," Tohru apologized. "I brought you some cream puffs. I hope you'll like them."

Jin just muttered a 'hmph' and proceeded to feed himself. Seeing that her cousin was already pleased, Tohru backed out of the room. Sighing as she closed the door, Tohru walked to the next room, where a furious cousin was waiting.

"TOHRU! TOHRU! TOHRU!"

_Oh my! Cousin Ariko is already furious!_ Tohru hurriedly entered the room to face a furious Ariko, who was holding a brightly colored dress and a pair of muddy boots.

"What took you so long, stupid girl? I have a party to attend to! Fix my dress now!"

"Yes, cousin."

"And while you're at it, why don't you trim my hat? It looks gaudy already," Ariko said, spitefully.

Tohru protested, "But cousin, I just re-trimmed that yesterday!"

"Well, then trim it again! I don't like how it looks. Oh, and be quick about it! I'm leaving in two hours. What are you waiting for? Get out of here!"

Ariko shoved Tohru out of the room. Tohru blinked her eyes for a few seconds and sighed. She walked to her room to fix the dress and the bonnet. _Mother, I know I'm not supposed to think bad of other people, but Auntie and my cousins are too harsh on me. I miss you so much, Mom! I wish Grandpa was here. If he was here, the others wouldn't treat me this way._

The morning passed by uneventfully. Tohru was very busy doing her usual household chores, when her aunt called for her.

"TOHRU! COME HERE IMMEDIATELY!"

Tohru hurried to her aunt's room. "Yes, Auntie? Is there anything you want me to do for you?"

"Have you washed the carpets like I told you?"

"Well, um, yes."

"Good. We'll be going out today, your cousins and I. We might be going home late tonight. We have a very important party to attend."

"Yes, Auntie."

"Don't forget your other chores. I want some more of those cream puffs, so don't forget to bake some."

"Yes, Auntie."

"Oh, and Tohru, wait up for us, okay?"

With that, Tohru was dismissed by the aunt, who immediately busied herself with the task of primping up. After half an hour, the aunt called for a carriage and the whole family, Tohru not included, happily rode away.

Chapter 2

For the love of flowers

When Auntie and my cousins told me that they will be gone for the day, I almost felt relieved. I know it is wrong for me to think so, but I just couldn't help myself. Anyway, I've already finished all my morning chores. What remains to be done is baking bread and pastries for tomorrow. From what I recall, Auntie will be expecting a guest or two tomorrow.

I feel relieved, because now, I have time to tend to my flower bed behind our house. I love flowers! They just have a way of making me feel happy to be alive. Whenever I look at flowers, I feel as though they have their own personalities. My favorite flower is the lily. Unlike other flowers, lilies don't have a scent. But they have other ways to make me feel happy, though. I love looking at lilies! They look so mysterious and happy at they same time. It's as if they have a secret sorrow, just like me. Whenever I look at my lilies, I feel as if they are speaking to me. I can almost hear them comfort me. It sounds insane, I know, but my flowers are the only ones I can consider as my friends.

Chapter 3

New friends

After finishing her chores, Tohru ran to the back of the house to visit her little flower garden. _Mother, at last I can have some time to tend to my flowers. They have been looking a bit droopy lately. I hope they haven't wilted yet, though. I feel so guilty for not taking care of them well. They're my only friends, yet sometimes I neglect to spend some time with them._

Actually, Tohru has a green thumb. She has a knack for growing things, a trait which she inherited from her mother, Kyoko. Years ago, when Kyoko was still young, she used to plant flowers as way of relieving stress. But when she married Tohru's father, she became very busy with taking care of the family that she never had time to take care of a flower garden. She still loved looking at flowers, though. Everyday, her husband would bring home a large bouquet of flowers, which she would place in vases around the house. When her husband died, friends would come and visit her to bring her flowers. That is, until Kyoko herself died last year.

Tohru knelt beside her little flower bed and gazed at the various flowers which she planted: daffodils, morning glories, forget-me-nots, daisies, and also, lilies.

"Hello my friends," she whispered to them, "How are you today? I just finished my chores. Auntie and my cousins will be coming home late tonight, so I will be able to spend time with all of you. I missed you so much. I wasn't able to visit you yesterday, so I got worried about you. How are you daffodils? I hope you'll bloom well this season. Morning glories, you haves the richest purple hue I have ever seen. Forget-me-nots, you are just so cute! You know, somebody once told me that the daisies are the friendliest flowers. You really are so friendly! E-eh, b-but all of you are friendly too! Nyah! I'm sorry. What am I saying? I mean, all the flowers I know are friendly. Some have thorns, yes, but they really didn't mean to have thorns to prick those who pick them up. Each and everyone of us have different traits, and this makes us special, so all of you are special…"

It really was a sight see, a girl apologizing to her flowers. Tohru knew she was embarrassing herself, but she didn't mind, because she was confident that no one was watching her. And if anyone was watching her, it was usually a woodland animal or two who happened to stray near her flower bed. So she continued her ramblings to her flower friends.

Unbeknownst to the girl, someone was watching her. A small, white rat was watching her from the side of the flower plot. It was sitting by itself in the lonely garden until Tohru came. It didn't mind her presence, though, because she didn't notice it. Actually, it was enjoying her comforting presence so much, that it didn't notice that it was creeping closer to her. Closer and closer. Closer and closer. Until it was only a few inches from her.

Tohru looked up at the sky and sighed. The sun was already setting, and she had to go back to the house to start preparing the house for the night. She stood up and brushed the dirt from her apron. She gave her flowers a longing glance and whispered a soft goodbye. _My flower friends, I hope I will be able to visit you again tomorrow._ Then, she turned around and started to walk towards the house, but her foot stepped on something soft. Looking down, she saw something and gasped.

The white rat was so entranced by the girl's presence that it did not notice that she was leaving already. That is, until it felt something squash its little body.

Tohru looked at the white rat under her foot. She almost killed it by stepping on it. "Mother, I almost killed the poor little rat!" She exclaimed. She bent down to pick up the rat and held it in her hands. "Little rat, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to step on you! I almost killed you!" Tohru shuddered at her last words. She almost killed the innocent rat! Looking at it again, she gave it a sad smile and said, "I'll take care of you from now on!"

Tohru hurried to the house to prepare it for her relatives' arrival. She hurried to her room in the attic and placed the mouse on her bed. "Little rat, please stay here. I will just attend to my chores. I'll come back later, okay? I hope you feel comfortable." Tohru smiled at the rat and went downstairs to light the fires and prepare dinner.

The rat stared at the girls shadow until it disappeared. If one looked closer at the rat, one would almost think that it was crying. The rat sat in bed and looked at the attic window. The stars were shining brightly, yet there was no moon. Turning away from the window, the rat lay very still in the bed, as if disappointed.

Chapter 4

Of visitors

The whole family arrived late last night, just as they said. They were all tired and snapped at Tohru whenever they felt like it. When they woke up this in the morning, they seemed more determined to torture Tohru.

"Tohru!"

Her aunt was calling her. Tohru rushed to her aunt and found her preening before a mirror.

"Yes Auntie, you called for me?"

"Did you remember to make cream puffs yesterday?"

"Yes, Auntie. And I made a sponge cake as well."

"Sponge cake?" Tohru's aunt whirled around to face her. "Who told you to make sponge cake? Can't you follow orders correctly? Stupid girl, you're wasting my family's money! If you want to make sponge cake, go spend your own money." Then, a cruel smile appeared on her lips. "Oh, yes. How silly of me. You don't have any money."

Tohru's heart sank. She thought of making sponge cake because of the excess egg whites that weren't used in the cream puffs. She wanted to cry at that moment, but instead, she forced a smile on her face and bowed low to her aunt.

"I'm sorry, Auntie. I didn't think. It won't happen again."

"Well, it better not. I'll let you go easy this time. I'm having visitors this afternoon, and I don't want anything to go wrong. Go prepare the sitting room for my guests."

"As you wish, Auntie."

Tohru stepped out of the room and closed the door softly. She really wanted to run upstairs to her room and cry, but she had to do her chores. _I guess my crying will have to wait until later._ She walked to the sitting room and started to clean it.

It was cold last night, and Tohru's thin blanket didn't help much to ward of the cold, so the little rat crept inside Tohru's apron pocket, which lay at the foot of the bed. It was still inside the pocket when Tohru put her apron on, and she didn't notice the rat, since she was in a hurry.

In fact, the rat has been inside her pocket the whole day, and it passed unnoticed, until she felt something squirm inside her apron pocket. She peeked inside and saw the rat, squirming uneasily.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't notice you, little rat. I almost forgot to give you something to eat. Can you wait a bit longer? I'll just finish cleaning this room, then we'll head to the kitchen, and I'll find you something to eat."

The rat seemed to understand what she said, because it stopped squirming. After a while, Tohru was finished cleaning, so she headed to the kitchen, with the rat in her pocket. Inside the kitchen, Tohru's eyes fell on the sponge cake that was cooling in the window sill. She suddenly felt like crying. _Mother, I can't seem to please anyone. It seems as if I never do anything right. I only cause more trouble instead of helping._

Taking the rat out of her pocket, Tohru held it in front of her face and whispered, "I hope you like sponge cake. I'm sorry we don't have any cheese. My aunt hates it, you know."

Taking a small slice of the cake, Tohru gave a piece of it to the rat and watched the rat nibble the cake. She sat thoughtfully and watched the rat eat. Then, she heard a loud knock at the front door.

Scooping the rat up along with a piece of cake, she placed it in her pocket and said, "I hope you won't mind staying in my pocket again. Auntie's visitors have already arrived and I have to serve them tea."

The visit dragged on for hours. The visitors were two of her aunts 'friends' who loved to gossip about how outrageous Kyoko acted when she lived, and how they were enjoying her old possessions, which they bought when Kyoko's possessions were auctioned off, and how pitiful Tohru was.

It really was painful for Tohru to hear the women speak about her mother that way, but she had to bear it and serve the women their tea. It was already after supper when the visitors left, and Tohru was grateful when they left. The family was already preparing for bed, so Tohru was already free to go to her room.

Tohru ran upstairs and sat beside her bed and sighed. She removed the rat out of her pocket and placed it on a basket near the window. Then, she laid her head on the bed and began to cry quietly.

Chapter 5

Between dreaming and waking

The moon shone faintly outside the window, and the stars burned brightly in the sky.

Tohru was exhausted from crying and was already half asleep when she heard the grandfather clock downstairs strike twelve. It didn't matter to Tohru that it was already midnight. She just continued crying. Suddenly, she felt something warm touch her cheek. It was a hand. She opened her eyes and saw a young man kneeling beside her, wiping her tears away. He was handsome. His silvery gray hair and amethyst eyes shone in the moonlight. He opened his lips and began to speak.

"Please don't cry. Angels like you shouldn't."

Tohru couldn't believe her eyes. There was a handsome young man in front of her, trying to comfort her. She was surprised, but then she thought that she might be dreaming. She simply smiled back at him.

"This is a strange dream," she whispered. "It seems real."

The young man simply smiled back at her. He then lifted her to her bed and tucked her in. She was already half asleep. "I'll take care of you," he said softly, as he stroke her hair

Tohru opened her eyes again and smiled at him. "What is your name?" She was almost asleep now and barely heard what he said.

"My name…is Yuki."

Chapter 6

Remembering what has been forgotten

Yuki sat beside Tohru and watched her sleep. _Why does my heart feel full when I look at her? Could it be…could she be…the one? The one to free me from my curse?_

Suddenly his mind took a trip down memory lane.

_Flashback_

"Mom, am I a man or a mouse?" A young Yuki asked his mother as she tucked him in his bed.

"My son, you are a man…for now. But when you grow older, you'll be a mouse for longer periods of time, until you become a mouse the whole day and turn back into human only when the moon shows her face. That is your curse."

"Will I ever become normal like the other kids?"

"I don't know, love. But if you find someone whose heart beats for you and yours for her, you might be able to break your curse. Hush now, my son. Worry about it when the time comes. For now, let your dreams comfort you."

Yuki sighed at the memory.


End file.
